1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to imaging devices and paper handling devices having a receiving device for receiving discharged papers from an outlet. More particularly, the present invention may be used with an image forming apparatus such as a digital copier or a facsimile.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently in modern office environments, an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, is commonly connected to one or more host machines, such as personal computers. Computer users can perform a printing operation at the printer from any of the personal computers. The printer responds by printing a sheet and then discharging the printed sheet to a sheet receiving device.
In above mentioned printer system, there may be a situation in which printed and discharged sheets are left in a receiving tray, for example if the user leaves the printer to pick up a telephone call. In this situation, when another user uses the same printer, the newly printed sheets (i.e., the second print job) are discharged directly on top of the first print job. Stacking the two print jobs in this way gives rise to the possibility that either the first user or the second user will inadvertently take both print jobs when retrieving their print job from the printer. Once the mistake is discovered, the user must sort-out the different print jobs, identify the print job that is not theirs, and insert the other user's print job back in the printer receiving tray.
A conventional sheet-receiving device described in Laid-Open Japanese Utility Model document 57-135541 attempts to address the issue of separating print jobs. As shown in FIG. 16, a printer 90 has a tray 92 for receiving printed sheets from an outlet 91 and a sorting tray 93 that is rotatably mounted by pins 94 at a side of the tray 92 for holding printed sheets from another user's print job at a location adjacent to the tray 92. In this case, the user rotates the sorting tray 93 to a horizontal position, as shown by the dotted line, and moves the printed sheets in preparation for the next sheets to discharge.
Another conventional sheet-receiving device is described in Japanese Utility Model document 0351752. As shown in FIG. 17, this device includes a receiving tray 82 having a beveled faces 82a, 82b, 82c and 82d for pushing printed sheets discharged by rollers 81, down for each fixed positions 83, which are located at lower positions of each of the beveled faces 82a, 82b, 82c and 82d. Overhangs 84 are located at upper positions of the beveled faces 82a, 82b, 82c and 82d. When sorting printed sheets, the user moves printed sheets that have already printed on the beveled face 82a to the next beveled face 82b. When two print jobs are held on the beveled faces 82a and 82b, the user moves the print jobs to other beveled face 82c or 82d.
However, as presently recognized, a problem with the formerly described conventional approach is that the printer has to be positioned in an area that is sufficient far way from a wall or other obstruction that allows the sorting tray 93 to be lowered. The latter approach has a different problem as discussed below. Because of the overhang 84, as shown in FIG. 18, located at an upper portion of the fixed portion 83, the user, when sorting, has to slide a bundle of sheets "S" up to the beveled face 82b. Moreover, the user has to move a rear edge Sb of the sheets S over the overhang 84a. If a length "L" of the beveled face 82b is comparatively shorter against the sheets S, a front edge of the sheets S is suspended and upper sheets of the bundle of papers become warped. Therefore, the sheets S do not easily move down into the pocket of the fixed position 83 easily and requires the user to move the bundle of papers up to the next beveled face before sliding the paper bundle into the fixed position 83. This situation causes sheets to collide between the moved sheets and the next discharged sheets. Furthermore, when left in the warped position, the sheets take on a habitual curling tendency.
On the other hand, if a length L' of the beveled face 82b is comparatively longer than the sheets S, as shown in FIG. 19, the size of the receiving tray 82 increases.